Antwon Williams, a 43-year-old African American man with a mental disability was arrested for Disorderly Conduct. He was processed at the Clackamas County Jail and placed in an isolation cell. Video released today by Williams’ law firm, Kafoury & McDougal, shows Mr. Williams sleeping in his cell until Deputy Jeanamarie Fisher and Deputy Marissa Phillips enter the cell to wake him up. Deputy Fisher notices that Williams has two white t-shirts on instead of one and tells Williams to take off one of his shirts.
The video then shows Williams throwing a shirt at Deputy Fisher while he is seated on a bench in his cell. Fisher responds by stepping towards Williams striking Williams’ head seven times with her closed fist as she stands over him. You can also see Deputy Phillips immediately grab Mr. Williams’ right arm, preventing him from protecting his face, while the blows continue to rain down on him.
The video then shows the deputies pulling Williams off the bench face first, to the ground and restraining him while kneeling on his back. They then pick Williams up to his feet and escort him out of the cell. At no point in the video does Mr. Williams resist or attempt to fight back. Deputy Fisher’s use of force was immediate and excessive after having a shirt thrown at her.
Additional video footage from the hallway outside Williams’ cell which shows Deputy Fisher talking to Sergeant Matt Savage after the incident. Deputy Fisher appears to re-enact the incident by crouching and throwing a punch with her right arm showing Sergeant Savage how she assaulted Mr. Williams. You can then see Sergeant Savage walking away from the conversation and making a “shushing” gesture at an individual or individuals off screen.
Sergeant Savage was the supervisor who signed off on both deputies’ Use of Force Reports. Savage appears to have been encouraging witnesses to keep quiet about what they may have overheard. By attempting to cover up the incident in the immediate aftermath, Savage ratified the behavior and contributed to a culture of using excessive force at the Clackamas County Jail.
The Oregon State Police investigated the incident. Deputy Fisher, Deputy Phillips and Sergeant Savage all declined to be interviewed for the investigation. Deputy Fisher was charged with misdemeanors and plead guilty to Official Misconduct in the Second Degree. She received a sentence of probation.
This is a Federal Lawsuit with six claims:
- Excessive Force 1983- Fisher, Phillips and Clackamas County
- Cruel and Unusual Punishment 1983-Fisher, Phillps and Clackamas
- Failure to Train 1983-Clackamas County
- Failure to Supervise 1983-Clackamas County, Sergeant Matt Savage
- Cruel and Unusual Punishment 1983 Monell Claim (practice, custom or unofficial policy)-Clackamas County
- Abuse of a Vulnerable Person State Law Claim-Deputies Fisher and Phillips
Demand and Response
We made a demand based on Deputy Fisher’s conduct to Clackamas County. They responded that they wouldn’t make any settlement offer because her conduct occurred “outside the scope of her employment” and stating that they would not be defending or indemnifying her for her involvement in the incident.
Antwon Williams has a mental disability
Client has a diagnosis of “Unspecified Intellectual Disability.” Lt. Davies of the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office told OSP Investigator Moisan that Antwon was “believed to be experiencing some mental illness.” Moisan confirmed this when he wrote “Williams did display what I believe to be patterns of disorganized though during our conversation.”
Read More:
KGW News
Civil rights lawsuit against Clackamas County deputies alleges excessive force | kgw.com
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